that she did not think Mrs. Ledley would be particularly pleased. "Are you ashamed of the man or what?" she demanded bluntly. "He can't be much of a chap not to have wanted to see your mother." Again Faith rushed eagerly to his defence. "He did want to. It was my fault that she was not told. It was my suggestion. I wanted to surprise her." Peg laughed grimly. "I should say she'll be surprised all right," she said. "She'll be delighted," Faith maintained. "Why, we shall be ever so rich!" Peg stared at her companion suspiciously, and the younger girl flushed. "Mother won't have to work any more," she said proudly. "And we can send the twins to a nice school." She paused. "And he's got a motor-car," she added in an awed voice. Peg burst into shrill laughter. "Lord! It's a novelette come true," she said. "Hark at her! You'll be telling me next that he's a second Scammel or something. What did you say his name was?" "Nicholas Forrester!" said Faith defiantly. Peg stood stock still, as if she had lost all power of movement. She stared at Faith with horrified eyes. "Scammel!" she ejaculated. Faith flushed scarlet. "He's not Scammel, I tell you!" she said passionately. "How dare you say that he is? I wouldn't believe it--not if everyone in the world told me that he was!" "You're a little fool!" Peg answered brutally. "I don't know why I trouble about you at all, and that's a fact. You'll probably find that he's married already. What on earth do you think he wants with a wife like you? Why, with all his money he could have anybody he likes. Where is he now, I should like to know?" "He's gone away--he went to America this morning." "America!" Peg laughed bitterly. "Yes, and that's where he'll stay. Mark my words, you'll never see him again! Bah! You make me sick!" She turned abruptly and struck off across the road, leaving Faith alone staring after her tall figure. Then mechanically she began to walk on. In spite of her brave defence of the Beggar Man, there was very little real confidence in her heart. Peg was generally right, she knew, and the knowledge filled her with terror. A sudden wild longing for Forrester almost overcame her. How should she get through these seventeen dreadful days till he came back? Supposing he never came back! Such things did happen, she knew! In the novelettes, of which Peg devoured about six weekly, it was a common occurrence for the villain of the story to desert his bride at the altar. Panic closed about her heart. She began to run. All she wanted in the world was to get to her mother and tell her of this dreadful thing that had happened. She reached home white and breathless. The front door was open, and the twins, just back from school, were playing in the narrow passage.The sight of them and the sound of their voices 

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